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Younis’ double ton gives Pakistan big lead

Earlier, Younis hit 218 in more than 7 1/2 hours, blasting 31 fours and four sixes before Pakistan was bowled out for 542 at tea after resuming on 340-6.

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In ideal batting conditions on a bright sunny day, the touring side lost only the wicket of nightwatchman Yasir Shah as they bid for a victory that would level the series at 2-2. They have done to England what England did to them at Old Trafford: “they’ve batted them out of the game”.

Wahab Riaz was not out on one at the interval.

They earned the praise and admiration of their captain Alastair Cook by overturning a 103-run first-innings deficit to win at Edgbaston last week. TV replays confirmed he was out plumb.

“The way I started here, the first 100 in warm-up and a 50 as well, I thought it would go well”.

“Until the last half-hour, it was a tough day”, said Farbrace, but the hosts picked up three late wickets including that of captain Misbah-ul-Haq.

Yasir Shah was in devastating form with the ball, claiming the wickets of Hales, Vince and Root at a cost of just 15 runs, and Pakistan will hope to maintain their momentum on Sunday. Younis Khan increased Pakistan’s advantage in the fourth Test against England as he built on his overnight century at The Oval on Saturday. He was Pakistan’s first star and his 970-minute 337 against West Indies in 1958 is still the longest Test innings in history and earned him the moniker “Little Master”.

It took England 23 more deliveries to dismiss Sohail Khan (2), eventually bowling out Pakistan for 542, conceding a massive 214-run lead in the first innings.

Despite their seemingly ceaseless appetite and ability to make runs, a combined age of 80 does inevitably mean that the golden age of Misbah and Younis is reaching its end, but at least in Shafiq there are signs that the cupboard won’t be left totally bare for Pakistan.

But when James Anderson gave him width outside offstump, Younis responded by cutting England’s all-time leading wicket-taker in front of point for four. Younis, after his “settling-in” period Saturday, looked in ominously good touch as far as England was concerned. Gary Ballance (4) and Jonny Bairstow (14) were in the middle.

Meanwhile England fast bowler Steven Finn accepted his side were up against it.

But DRS proved umpire Bruce Oxenford was in error with his lbw decision, because the ball would have cleared the stumps.

Younis later received excellent support from Mohammad Amir in a ninth-wicket stand of 97 as the tailender frustrated England with a Test-best 39 not out.

England appealed for LBW when Azhar was on 49 but hotspot showed the delivery had brushed his glove and with the ball in Bairstow’s gleeful hands the diminutive batsman had to go.

Younis completed his double hundred in style when he advanced down the pitch to drive Ali for six.

Amir took 24 balls to get off the mark but did so in dashing fashion when he hoisted Ali for six over deep midwicket.

But before and after that he and Pakistan dealt with everything England threw at them with relative ease on a track that still had some pace and bounce in it for the bowlers.

“It’s the stupidest shot you can imagine, and for me it’s the end of his Test career”, ex-England batsman Geoffrey Boycott said on BBC Test Match Special.

It was 127-3 on the board when Younis Khan and Asad Shafiq added crucial 150 runs for the team before Shafiq was sent back to pavilion with stunner from Stuart Broad on Finn’s ball. TV umpire: J S Wilson (West Indies).

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“The four wickets hurt us and Pakistan did not let us get off to a flyer”.

Stuart Broad has been fined for comments he made on Twitter during the fourth Test